Tension Free Mesh Technique

The Tension Free Mesh Technique is the preferred method of hernia repair and has been in practice since the early 1970's. This technique utilizes specially designed "mesh", which can be altered to fit the exact needs of every patient. With the Tension Free Mesh Technique an incision is made directly over the site of the existing hernia. Any protruding tissue is returned to its proper position through the weakness or tear in the abdominal wall. At this time specially designed mesh is also placed on the inside of the tear or weakness, helping to repair the hernia from the inside.
The safest, most effective way to repair a hernia is with the advanced Tension Free Mesh technique as practiced for present day. This advanced technique is ideal for repairing inguinal hernias in addition to many other types of hernias. As opposed to the "tension" method first used back in the 1800's, the highly advanced Tension Free Mesh technique reduces the chance of recurrence to only 1 in 200, or 0.5%, provides shorter recovery time and greatly reduces post-operative pain. The Tension Free technique involves the placement of synthetic mesh in the inguinal area to repair and strengthen, where as the old "tension" method involved sewing the edges of the weakness or tear together with muscles.
With the Tension Free Mesh technique, we are able to tailor surgery more to the individual by selecting appropriate mesh for the shape, size and location of the individual hernia. As each of you in a unique individual, so is your hernia. We understand there is no such thing as "one size fits all" and your hernia shouldn't be handled by any type of less effective approach. The basis behind our "tension free" approach is not to create unnatural tension - where it so obviously failed before - by cutting and sewing muscles into new places, but rather to avoid tension entirely.
By making effective use of sterile, flexible polypropylene mesh to reinforce and support the surrounding tissue we are able to effectively repair primary and recurrent inguinal hernias as well as most other abdominal wall hernias. The mesh assists the new tissue growth, almost like a lattice assists flowers or plants in that it acts a stable platform for the new growth to come together and strengthen upon, as it incorporates itself safely and easily into your abdominal wall. Incredibly flexible and thin, you are unable to feel the mesh and it does not inhibit activity at all after surgery. Extending beyond the edges of the original weakness or tear, the mesh also supports the weak, thin tissue surrounding the hernia where it is most effective and will not lift or separate later with strenuous physical activity or excessive abdominal strain.

Conventional Method
The Conventional Method has been widely used by surgeons and hernia specialists since the early 1900's and is still widely practiced today. With the Conventional Method, an incision is made directly over the site of the existing hernia. The tissue protruding through the opening is then returned to the abdominal cavity and any sac that may have formed is removed. The initial weakness or tear in the abdominal wall is then repaired with strong surrounding muscle, which is sewn over the weakness or tear. This method requires patients lift no more than 40 lbs. after surgery and is associated with a high rate of recurrence, a prolonged healing time of six to eight weeks and usually entails more post-operative pain.
Laparoscopic Method
The Laparoscopic Method, which has been in practice since the 1980's, uses a light tube and video camera inserted into small incisions, each no more than one centimeter in length. The video camera, inserted into one of the incisions, allows the surgeon to find and view the hernia during the entire operation while the other incisions allow the surgeon internal access to the hernia to perform the surgery. Once the hernia is repaired using techniques similar to that of the Tension Free Mesh technique, the surgeon removes all instruments used during the surgery and uses a single stitch to close each of the small incisions. However, Laparoscopic surgery is not for everyone. If you have 1) a large or incarcerated hernia, 2) previous pelvic surgery (i.e. prostatectomy, etc.) or 3) if you cannot tolerate general anesthesia then laparoscopic surgery is not for you. In addition, laparoscopic surgery is more costly than more traditional methods of hernia repair and may require slightly more time to complete the procedure.

Tension Free Mesh Technique

The Tension Free Mesh Technique is the preferred method of hernia repair and has been in practice since the early 1970's. This technique utilizes specially designed "mesh", which can be altered to fit the exact needs of every patient. With the Tension Free Mesh Technique an incision is made directly over the site of the existing hernia. Any protruding tissue is returned to its proper position through the weakness or tear in the abdominal wall. At this time specially designed mesh is also placed on the inside of the tear or weakness, helping to repair the hernia from the inside.

The safest, most effective way to repair a hernia is with the advanced Tension Free Mesh technique as practiced for present day. This advanced technique is ideal for repairing inguinal hernias in addition to many other types of hernias. As opposed to the "tension" method first used back in the 1800's, the highly advanced Tension Free Mesh technique reduces the chance of recurrence to only 1 in 200, or 0.5%, provides shorter recovery time and greatly reduces post-operative pain. The Tension Free technique involves the placement of synthetic mesh in the inguinal area to repair and strengthen, where as the old "tension" method involved sewing the edges of the weakness or tear together with muscles.

With the Tension Free Mesh technique, we are able to tailor surgery more to the individual by selecting appropriate mesh for the shape, size and location of the individual hernia. As each of you in a unique individual, so is your hernia. We understand there is no such thing as "one size fits all" and your hernia shouldn't be handled by any type of less effective approach. The basis behind our "tension free" approach is not to create unnatural tension - where it so obviously failed before - by cutting and sewing muscles into new places, but rather to avoid tension entirely.

By making effective use of sterile, flexible polypropylene mesh to reinforce and support the surrounding tissue we are able to effectively repair primary and recurrent inguinal hernias as well as most other abdominal wall hernias. The mesh assists the new tissue growth, almost like a lattice assists flowers or plants in that it acts a stable platform for the new growth to come together and strengthen upon, as it incorporates itself safely and easily into your abdominal wall.

Incredibly flexible and thin, you are unable to feel the mesh and it does not inhibit activity at all after surgery. Extending beyond the edges of the original weakness or tear, the mesh also supports the weak, thin tissue surrounding the hernia where it is most effective and will not lift or separate later with strenuous physical activity or excessive abdominal strain.

Conventional Method
The Conventional Method has been widely used by surgeons and hernia specialists since the early 1900's and is still widely practiced today. With the Conventional Method, an incision is made directly over the site of the existing hernia. The tissue protruding through the opening is then returned to the abdominal cavity and any sac that may have formed is removed. The initial weakness or tear in the abdominal wall is then repaired with strong surrounding muscle, which is sewn over the weakness or tear. This method requires patients lift no more than 40 lbs. after surgery and is associated with a high rate of recurrence, a prolonged healing time of six to eight weeks and usually entails more post-operative pain.

Laparoscopic Method
The Laparoscopic Method, which has been in practice since the 1980's, uses a light tube and video camera inserted into small incisions, each no more than one centimeter in length. The video camera, inserted into one of the incisions, allows the surgeon to find and view the hernia during the entire operation while the other incisions allow the surgeon internal access to the hernia to perform the surgery. Once the hernia is repaired using techniques similar to that of the Tension Free Mesh technique, the surgeon removes all instruments used during the surgery and uses a single stitch to close each of the small incisions. However, Laparoscopic surgery is not for everyone. If you have 1) a large or incarcerated hernia, 2) previous pelvic surgery (i.e. prostatectomy, etc.) or 3) if you cannot tolerate general anesthesia then laparoscopic surgery is not for you. In addition, laparoscopic surgery is more costly than more traditional methods of hernia repair and may require slightly more time to complete the procedure.

Incisional hernia repair is a surgical procedure performed to correct an incisional hernia. An incisional hernia, also called a ventral hernia, is a bulge or protrusion that occurs near or directly along a prior abdominal surgical incision. The surgical repair procedure is also known as incisional or ventral herniorrhaphy.

Purpose
Incisional hernia repair is performed to correct a weakened area that has developed in the scarred muscle tissue around a prior abdominal surgical incision, occurring as a result of tension (pulling in opposite directions) created when the incision was closed with sutures, or by any other condition that increases abdominal pressure or interferes with proper healing.


Demographics
Because incisional hernias can occur at the site of any type of abdominal surgery previously performed on a wide range of individuals, there is no outstanding profile of an individual most likely to have an incisional hernia. Men, women, and children of all ages and ethnic backgrounds may develop an incisional hernia after abdominal surgery. Incisional hernia occurs more commonly among adults than among children.


Surgical procedure
In both open and laparoscopic procedures, the patient lies on the operating table, either flat on the back or on the side, depending on the location of the hernia. General anesthesia is usually given, though some patients may have local or regional anesthesia, depending on the location of the hernia and complexity of the repair. A catheter may be inserted into the bladder to remove urine and decompress the bladder. If the hernia is near the stomach, a gastric (nose or mouth to stomach) tube may be inserted to decompress the stomach.
In an open procedure, an incision is made just large enough to remove fat and scar tissue from the abdominal wall near the hernia. The outside edges of the weakened hernial area are defined and excess tissue removed from within the area. Mesh is then applied so that it overlaps the weakened area by several inches (centimeters) in all directions. Non-absorbable sutures (the kind that must be removed by the doctor) are placed into the full thickness of the abdominal wall. The sutures are tied down and knotted.
In the less-invasive laparoscopic procedure, two or three small incisions will be made to access the hernia site—the laparoscope is inserted in one incision and surgical instruments in the others to remove tissue and place the mesh in the same fashion as in an open procedure. Significantly less abdominal wall tissue is removed in laparoscopic repair. The surgeon views the entire procedure on a video monitor to guide the placement and suturing of mesh.